Astros face uncomfortable truth about trading Isaac Paredes right now

It's no secret that the Houston Astros would like to trade either Christian Walker or Isaac Paredes before Opening Day, but the chances of such a deal are diminishing with each passing day. Trading Paredes seems to be likeliest scenario, but it may not happen until a contender has their hand forced.

With less than a month until Opening Day, most teams are making consequential moves. There's going to be a handful of waiver claims between now and the start of the regular season, but a trade involving an All-Star third baseman typically isn't one you see in March.

That's also the case during the early months of the regular season. Most teams don't pick a lane — in terms of being a buyer or seller at the trade deadline — until the All-Star break. Even then, the parity across baseball has led to more teams standing pat at the deadline, instead of making a deal that moves the needle in either direction.

Contending team aren't in any sort of rush to make a trade, and that's why the Astros may be in less than desirable position.

Astros may need an unexpected injury to trade Isaac Paredes

Most contending teams have already identified their starting third baseman at this point. Sure, the Boston Red Sox are the team that made the most sense for Paredes, but their trade for Caleb Durbin has placed them in a wait-and-see mode.

Whether it's the Red Sox or a contending team to be determined later, it may take an unexpected injury in order for the Astros to trade Paredes. Teams know that the Astros want to trade Paredes, and they're going to call their bluff. In that scenario, the Astros have very little leverage. But if there's an injury early in the season, that could be the exception that Houston needs to trade Paredes.

While you don't want to actively root for an injury to befall another player, it speaks to the situation the Astros are facing. Paredes, at the moment, doesn't have a strong market, and it's going to take something drastic happening for that to change.